Television's mixed messages: Sexual content on all my children

Abstract

Previous studies of morality on soap operas have exaggerated both the bad and the good. The abundance of sexual activity out of wedlock, which is typically characterized as immoral, ignores the degree of commitment in relationships and the punishment of deception. The fact that rapes are infrequent in the context of socially responsible stories ignores less extreme physical aggression in relationships which is both present and rewarded. The subtle message, that when women say “no” they really mean “yes,” contradicts overt attempts to demonstrate the seriousness of sexual aggression.

Key concepts:

• Soap operas
• sex
• morality
• sexual aggression